Note to readers: This is an update to a post I wrote in 2020 about 4 different versions of Dangerous Liaisons. Well, a fifth version is coming out in November 2022. So I thought I’d revisit (and update) my original post!
I must have a thing for movie series… I’ve written about the The Trip films and the Before trilogy. This time I want to share four different movies of the same story, Dangerous Liaisons. There is just something about this story… in every version, it captivates me. Something about how damaged the characters are, how cruel they can be as they try to hide their vulnerabilities. No wonder this story has been told so many times- these themes are as true today as they were when the original book was written in 1782.
Given that we may all have some time on our hands over the holidays, I wanted to share a few versions of the film for your viewing pleasure.
Les liaisons dangereuses, by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. En français! 🙂
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
I remember seeing this movie in college and thinking “oh wow.” The costumes and settings are gorgeous. Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Uma Thurman, Michelle Pfeiffer. The entire cast is first rate. There’s a feeling throughout the movie of tragedy, despite the sometimes crazy antics. It’s hard to choose my favorite of the four, but this might be it.
Valmont (1989)
I remember the hullabaloo about the two movies, Dangerous Liaisons and Valmont, being made and released at almost the same time. It was a bit of a competition and scandal! The reviewers seem to agree that Valmont is the “lighter” version of the two versions. Perhaps it comes down to Colin Firth vs. John Malkovich. Come on, there’s really no way that Colin Firth can out-Valmont Malkovich’s version. Still, solid casts in both productions (Annette Bening is fabulous), and assuming you like the story, it’s worth seeing them both.
Cruel Intentions (1999)
For most of you, this may the only version of this story you have seen, and it’s not a bad place to start! Again, a terrific cast… plus great settings, fashion and a soundtrack too. And it’s fun to think about Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Philippe being in a relationship while filming the movie.
Cruel Intentions soundtrack on Spotify and Amazon
Dangerous Liaisons (2012)
In this version, the director picks up the story and moves it to 1930s Shanghai. And I won’t spoil the ending but it’s a bit less tragic than some of the other versions.
Dangerous Liaisons (2022)
Starz announced that they will be releasing a new version of the story in November 2022. This time it will be an eight part series, with most of the filming done in the Czech Republic. The setting is the traditional 18th century one, so no interesting twists there. And I was a tad skeptical of the need for an 8 hour version- until I saw that the story is a bit extended. Per Deadline, “Dangerous Liaisons tells the story of Merteuil and Valmont showing how they began as young lovers in the slums of Paris and rose to the heights of French aristocracy through a series of schemes, manipulations and betrayals?”
So we’ll have to see! But given the resilience of this story, it could add more to its ongoing development.
And there are more…
As I was researching this topic, I learned that there are even more versions of this story out there…the most well-know being the OG Les liaisons dangereuses in 1959 and a South Korean version in 2003 called Untold Scandal. There’s also a French mini-series from 2003, stage plays, a Broadway show and a ballet. There’s been talk of a BBC mini-series. And even earlier in 2022, there was a modern-day version of the story (poorly rated, alas!)
Clearly this is a story that resonates across generations and cultures. It’s fun to discover how each team tells the story slightly differently…
Do you have any movie series that you enjoy? Share any viewing tips in the comments!
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